Pressure on Britain over deadly drone attacks

There have been hundreds of US drone strikes on targets in Pakistan since 2004Rob Jensen/USAF/Getty

Britain could be forced to reveal whether it gives the United States intelligence for drone attacks on terrorist suspects in a court action that threatens to expose ministers to allegations of war crimes.

The Times understands that the Government has retained three QCs to help to prepare its case, such is the seriousness with which ministers take the action, due to be heard at the High Court as early as July.

The Government publicly denies that its intelligence and security services have had any involvement in so-called lethal intervention.

The hundreds of US drone strikes on suspected al-Qaeda and Taleban targets in Pakistan since 2004, as well as those against Islamist militants in Yemen, are regarded as having played a key role in thwarting terrorist…